A doubt about life after death.

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>"srivaishnavan" <srivaishnavan

><>

>Wednesday, October 13, 2004 10:01 PM

> Re: A doubt about life after death.

 

> SrI:

> SrimathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

 

> Dear Sri Srinivasa raghavan

>

> Your father has attained Acharyan Thiruvadi at Srivaikuntam; However

> sruthi, smruthi are His agnyA and we need to perform the rituals as

> prescribed in saasthrAs with respect to obsequies, tharpaNams,

> maasyams, srAddham etc...

>

> Given below is how the soul's journey towards the Lord takes place:

> [from Paramapadha sOpAnam written by Swamy Desikan- posted by Sri

> Sadagopan Swamy of New York, few years ago]

>

> Regards

> Namo Narayana

> dAsan

 

Dear Sri Srinivasa Raghavan :

 

As indicated by Sri MadhavakkaNNan , Prapanna Jeevan

goes straight to Sri Vaikuntam via ArchirAdhi Maargam ,

the moment the Lord enables that Jeevan to enter

Moordhanya Nadi and exit via Brahma Randhram .

Sruthis are the PramANams for this view . That was what

Swamy Desikan described in the Sri Sookthi of Parama

Padha SopAnam that Sri MaadhavakaNNan referred to .

 

Your questions in this context were about Apara Kaaryams ,

Monthly rites (Maasyam et al) , the annual SrArdham ,

PiNDa Bali and their links to Pithru Lokam . Who are we doing it for ?

Why do we do it and Where does it end up , if the Prapanna Jeevan

is already residing at Sri Vaikuntam thru the power of the Prapatthi

Yogam that it practised thru AchArya Krupai .

 

The unasked question is : Does it mean that Pithru Kaaryam

is a waste of time and purposeless? What is the significance of

Pithru DEvathA aarAdhanam ? This question is not new .

In Srimath RaamAyaNam , Sage JaabAli engages in

Nireeswara Vaadham according to Sri MukkUr Lakshmi

NarasimhAcchAr Swamy and asks Raamachandra about

how the PiNDam placed on the earth can reach Pithru lOkam

and presses on about the route of TilOthaklam poured here

thru the thumb quenching the thrist of the Pithru devathais

at Pithru lOkam .

 

The answer to such questions has to be based on

the upadEsam of the Pithru Geetham section of

Sri VishNu PurANam accepted by all AchAryAs as

the highest among the Saathvika PurANams.

It talks about the many (96) SrArddhams to be done in a year ,

the various alternatives for performing these TarpaNAdhi

SrArddhams by one , who is incapacited to do them

in the authentic manner prescribed by the SaasthrAs.

Laghu Pithru DEvathA AarAdhanam procedures

are given to make sure that no one gives up these

prescribed rites because of inability of one kind or other.

It goes on to point out that BhagavAn Sriman NaarAyaNan

is the one , who is the recipient of our efforts to perform

Pithru DevathA AaarAdhanam .

 

Pithru DevathAs are of three forms : Rudra, Vasu and

Aadhithya forms .When we invoke the names of

Pithru Vargam and Maathru Vargam and link them

to the Gothrams and place PINDam or pour TilOdhakam

(water mixed with gingelly seeds) ,those who are made happy

are the Pithru DEvathais in Pithru lOkam and NOT our parents , grand parents

or Great Parents as embodied souls . We say : " --- --- gOthrAN

--- --- SarmaNa: VasurudrAdhithya SVAROOPAN asmath

pithru pithAmaha prapithAmahAn aavAhayAmi ". Then we offer

aasanam , archanam , TarpaNam with tilOdhakam .

 

Next AavAhanam for MaathAmaha Vargam is : " aayAthu

Pithara : sOmyA: gambheerai: pathibhi: poorvyai: ,

prajAmasmabhyam dhadhathO rayincha dheergAyuthvanccha

satha saaradham cha ---- ---- gOthrAn -- -- sarmaNa:

VasurudhrAdhithya SvaroopAn asmath MAATHU :

pithru pithAmahAn prapithAmahAn aavaahayAmi ".

 

Vasu Roopam is PithA , Rudhra roopam is PithAmahar

and Aadhithya Roopam is Prapithaamahar.

 

Jn~AthAjn~Atha Pithru Maathru tarpaNam follows

thereafter. With different sankalpams , ParahEni ,

ashtakai , anvashtakai , MaaLya and SankramaNa

TarpaNams are done to please the Pithru DEvathAs .

The satisfied Pithru devathAs bless the progeny of

the performer of TarpaNams. It is the Pithru devathAs

with Sriman NaarAyaNan as their antharyAmi is

pleased thru that aaarAdhanam and not our departed

father or mother et al. Such parents , grand parents

or great grand parents are not the targets for

this pithru aarAdhanams .Once we do the apara Kaaryams

for them , our links to them are broken except in

reverential and grateful memory .

 

Apara Kaaryam is a seperate big subject by itself

( AahUthi of the body made of Pancha bhUthams in Agni

as the mortal coils fall , Daily PiNDa SamarpaNam , DasAham ,

yEkOdhishtam , and sapiNDee KaraNam et al ) .

 

We will not get into it here . In one of the presentations by

the SrouthigaL of Srirangam captured in the Mambalam

Golden Jubilee Tapes , thsi subject is addressed .

 

Veda PurushAya Nama:

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other Jeevans enter other Naadis and end up

as embodied souls in ways appropriate with their

KarmAs .